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How to Get Your Life in Order. Achieve your goals by breaking them down into bite-sized
pieces, and use digital shortcuts to track your steps towards success. You will need
A PDA A cell phone An email account and a desire to organize your life. Step 1. You
talk about competing in a triathlon, writing a novel, and getting a better job, but what
are you actually doing about it? Pick your goal and stick to it. Writing down your goal
and your proposed completion date in your PDA — instead of on paper — makes it easier
to access, revise, and share with friends. Step 2. Identify the smaller tasks you'll
need to complete. A single large goal becomes much more manageable when you turn it into
a lot of smaller goals. Step 3. Whatever your goal is, be realistic about your plan, as
well as the amount of time you've given yourself to complete it. We know you want to see results
right now, but overloading your plate will just make you anxious. Step 4. Prioritize
your tasks. Rank each one based on its urgency and the order in which it should be accomplished.
As you complete tasks, re-assign the rankings. Step 5. Schedule tasks in your PDA. Assign
times, dates, and priority to as many tasks as you can. Set reminders in advance, so you
have plenty of warning. Step 6. Streamline the other stuff on your to-do list so you
have more time to focus on your goal. For recurring items like monthly bills, sign up
online for automatic payment. Use mobile banking to save trips to your local teller. And for
other repeating appointments or errands, set chiming reminders on your PDA. Step 7. Don't
be afraid to seek help. Continue your education with an online class, and do readings and
homework at your convenience. Some classes have videos you can download to your PDA or
MP3 player and watch whenever you're free. Step 8. Send an email telling your friends
and family about your goal. Getting the word out not only locks you into seeing things
through; it can open up your options. When sending out a mass email, Bcc all email addresses.
Step 9. Each time you accomplish a task, give yourself a break and a reward. Showering yourself
with little presents — and some free time to enjoy them — is a great way to toast
your success! Did you know For years, astronauts on the International Space Station have used
PDAs to send email and keep track of tasks.